Reenforcement for poles



1,672,789 a. B. SPRING REENFORCEMENT FOR POLES lnvenl'or. Geor e BSprin b /iaz WM W A1Tys.

June 5, 1928. 1,672,789

REENFORCEMENT FOR POLES Filed May 22, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 OT: George B p ng I J ys.

Patented June 5, 1928.

1,672,789 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEOBGE'B. SPRING, or NEWTON, vmssncnus'n'rrs.

BEENFORCEMENT FOR POLES.

Application filed May 22,

. This invention relates to means for reen- 'forcingmtelephone poles,-telegraph poles and other similar poles.

After a wooden pole of this nature has been in use for several years it begins to show signs of weakness at the surface of the earth, such weakness being caused by the decay in the pole occasioned by the changes in the degree of moisture to which the pole is subjected at the surface of the earth.

It has heretofore been proposed to reenforce such weakened or decayed poles by setting or driving into the earth alongside of the pole one or more vertical reenforcing members which extendinto the earth for a considerable distance and which also overlie the pole for a distance above the earth, said reenforcing member or members being firmly clamped to the pole. If a pole reenforced as above described is one which is consider ably decayed at the surface of the earth the strain to which the pole is subjected due to its load of wires is taken largely by the reenforcing members and where the ground in which the pole is set is hard and firm there will be suflicient earth resistance against thev reenforcing member so that they will firmly hold the pole in place but :if

the ground is sandy or soft the earth resistance. afforded by the reenforcing memhers is not always suflicient for this purpose.

It is one of the objects of my present invention to provide a novel construction by which the earth resistance of the reenforcing members may be increased, and which when used in soft earth will provide suflicient earth resistance to the reenforcing members to ensure that the pole will be held in its proper position. i

In carrying out my invention I propose to form key members of cement or other. similar material which are adapted to be placed in the earth alongside of and in contact with the reenforcing members and each of which has the face that is in engagement with the reenforcing member provided with a contour complemental to that of the reenforcing member. Because of the fact that the contacting faces of the'reenforcing membersand the key members have complemen' tal shapes there will be an interlocking engagement between eachkey member and its reenforcing member so that any lateral strain on the pole which is transmitted to the reenforcing member will be in turn transmitted to the key members. These key 7 claims.

1926. Serial No. 111,061.

bers are in place the earth resistance which they provide augments the earth resistance of the pole butt in preventing lateral swaying movement of the pole, and the earth resistance thus afforded by both the key mem bers'and the pole butt is sufiicient to hold the poleupright, even in relatively soft earth.

In order to give an understanding of the invention I have illustrated in the drawings some selected embodiments thereof which will now be described after which the novel featureswill be pointed out in the appended Fig. 1 is a view illustrating a pole having my improved reenforcing means applied thereto; v

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22,,Fig. 1;

Fig. 3fis a side elevation of one of the reenforcing members;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the key members; I

Fig. 5 is aview showing a modified form of the key member;

Fig. 6 is a section onthe line 66, Fig. 1. In the drawings 1 indicates a portion of a wooden pole such as is used for telephone, telegraph and other transmission purposes, said pole being set in theearth 2. The pole is shown as reenforoed by means of two reenforcing members 3 which are set into the earth alongside of the pole and which project above the surface of the earth, said reenforcing members being clamped to the pole by means of'clamp members 4 all as shown in my co-pending application, Serial No. 50,319, filed August 1%, 1925. The pole is shownas weakened by decay at the surface of the earth as shown at 5, this being the reason why the reenforcements 3 are used.

The reenforcing members 3 may have vari-.

ous cross sectionalv shapes, those herein shown having vertical ribs 6 extending ion gitudinally thereof on their outer faces and also having marginal ribs 7 attheir marginal edges. If the earth 2 is relatively hard and firm these ribs furnish sufficient earth resistance to ensure that the pole will be firmly held in place but if the earth 2 is soft or sandy it is sometimes desirable that added earth, resistance should be'provided and it is the purpose of the present invention to provide means for giving this added earth resistanee.

Such added earth resistance is secured through the medium of members 8 which I term key members and which may conveniently be made of cementsalthough they to fit the rib 6 of the reen'torcing member and other grooves 10 ot a. sizeto-receive-the ribs T of the reentt'orcingmember.

These key members 8 may be of anydesired length depending on the amount of added earth resistance which it is desired to give to the reentorcingmembers. In Fig. 1 the key members are of a length to extend somewhat below the lower end of the reenforcingmembers. In Fig. 5 the key member is shown of less vertical dimension.

Each key member will. preferably be tapered. somewhat from its upper end' toits lower end, it being of greater cross sectional. area at the upper end than at the lower end. lhese key members are-not united or connected to the reentorcing members, but when the key members are in place they have an interlocking connection with the reentorcing members due to the fact that the contacting Faces of each key member and its corresponding" reentorcinp; member have complemcntal shapes. Consequently it the upper end of the pole subjected to any lateral pressure in the direction of the arrows m or b, Fig. 2, such pressure will be transmitted to the reentorcing members 3 and from them'to the key members 9 and thus to the earth. lhe increased size ol the key members over that of the reent'orcing membersgives consider-- able added earth resistance that the total earth resistance by which the pole is held in upright position that aitorded by the key members added to that of the pole butt.

An advantage resulting from the tapering shape of the key members is that when they are inserted the pressure thereof against the earth due to the weight thereof tends to force the key members against the reenforcing members and thus to maintain the interlocking connection between the two.

These key members may be either driven into the earth alongside of the reentorcing; members or it this is not feasible the earth may be removed suiiiciently to permit the key members to be set in position after which the; earth may. betampedi around the key members. In any event, the weight of the key members and the tapering shape thereof. serve tomaintain the interlocking The key members may be made oh any suitabie materialwithoutdeparting from the invention. It isperhaps most convenient to make them of cement or concrete becausein this way they can be readily ast or molded to havethe proper shape.

\Vhile I haveillustrated hereinsome'selected en'ibodiments of the invention 1 do not wish to be limited to the constructional tea turcs shown. A t

I claim.

l. A reentorcement for poles comprising a teen forcing member set into theearth along side ot'the pole and clamped to the latter above the earth and a a: key member separable front the reentorcing' mci'nber and adapted to beset intothe earth alongside of the reent'orcin member but independently there'- ot. the taceot the key member which contacts with the reentorciug member' havi-ng a shape complemental thereto thereby providing an interlocking connection between said members whereby the earthresistance of the key member augmentsthat of the pole butt in resisting swaying" movementof the pole.

2. A reent'orcement tor poles comprising a reenforcing member set into the eartlralongside of the pole and clamped to the latter above the earth, and a key n'ie-mberindependent of and separate from the reentorcing ll'lGiIllJQl and 'set into the earth alongsideof the reentorcing member, the face; of the key member which contacts with the-reentorciug' member havinga shape compleenonen B. s raine 

